Lynx UK Trust claims 100% landowner support for wild lynx release

The Lynx UK Trust says it has secured 100% landowner support for its plans to release Eurasian lynx into the Kielder Forest region of Northumberland, which it says will bolster its application for a release licence.

The application is resting with Natural England. If approved it would see the release of six of these medium-sized cats into the wild as part of a five-year trial.

Phil Stocker, NSA chief executive, says: “Approval of landowners is a moot point without the licence application being approved by Natural England – but, with no detail of the individuals claimed to be supporting them, all we can do is dispute this latest information.

“The area the trust is talking about is clearly a large proportion of Kielder and the majority of farmers we’ve spoken to there are opposed to the release.”

Benefits

The Lynx UK Trust says the support of forest owners in the region “speaks volumes for the confidence in the trial reintroduction plan we’ve laid out”.

It believes farmers could actually benefit from a controlled lynx release, through ecotourism opportunities.

It has also arranged insurance cover for farmers in the event of any lynx attacks on sheep.